"3"^^ . "36"^^ . "24"^^ . . "Fried chicken is a crispy, juicy, and tender guilty pleasure I have no problem succumbing to. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar boldly declared that they had one of the best fried chicken recipes out there, so to put them to the test, my family and I made reservations here for Sunday night dinner. It was very last minute, but the hostess kindly accommodated our large group without a fuss. \n\nThe restaurant itself is cozy yet classy at the same time. Like most Vegas restaurants, the lighting is low and creates an intimate mood that would be nice if the volume wasn't eardrum-breaking loud. At one point, I felt as if I was in a shouting match with my family. We sat at a high table with comfy bar stools while behind us were parties sitting on plushy couch seats, enjoying a nice cocktail or glass of wine. \n\nThe menu is constructed like a flip book with one page dedicated to food and the other four to various types of liquid courage. Because we were still quite full from our late lunch, my family and I decided to eat food family style. For our appetizers, we got the deviled eggs, mango grilled salad, and crab mac and cheese, then for our entrees, we shared the crispy fried chicken with hot sauce and the chicken n' watermelon n' waffles. \n\nWhile service is friendly, there was no denying that it was slow. The wait times between each appetizer and between each course was uncomfortably long. When all the appetizers finally hit our table, we did agree that plating was nice. The creamy yolk of the deviled eggs appeared like a yellow beehive and it was easy to eat in a single bite. It was the favorite appetizer of the three. As for the salad, I had to cut up the lettuce leaves with a knife while the mango pieces were way too mushy. The mac and cheese tasted decent overall, but the cheese was slightly congealed. \n\nHoping the entrees would be better, we were at first very impressed with the look of the fried chicken, especially the chicken n' watermelon n' waffles dish. I think that dish is always meant to be shared because it is a monster of a plate. You get an entire, thick waffle, four pieces of fried chicken, and spicy watermelon pieces. As for the regular fried chicken entree, there were three pieces served in an iron basket. \n\nThere is no denying that the chicken was juicy. UNBELIEVABLY JUICY. The flavors were vibrant and the meat fell apart with ease. But one of the best things about fried chicken is the skin, and unfortunately at Yardbird's, the skin was not crispy at all. Even though it was nicely spiced, the lack of a crunch was quite a crime.\n\nIn the end, we still had room to order dessert so we got the banana bread pudding to share that was neatly presented in a mason jar with a hill of Chantilly cream and a crispy banana chip. I loved the bread pudding, tasting surprisingly light with plenty of banana flavor. The only change I would make is to have less of the cream since it eventually overpowered the entire dish. \n\nLike most Vegas restaurants, prices aren't the most reasonable, but for good flavors, sometimes the wallet pain is worth it. I can't say that that is the case for Yardbird. The chicken was good, just not great, and the service was friendly, just not efficient. \n\nI guess the whole experience was just average for us."^^ . "2017-05-03T00:00:00"^^ . . . "35"^^ .